BUILDING PRACTICAL WEBSITES

BUILDING PRACTICAL WEBSITES

Since Ed Goldman mentioned me in his Sacramento Business Journal column today as the programmer of his new website, I thought this would be a good time to write about websites. When Ligon Media designs websites, we typically have two types of clients. Type A is the client who hands us the keys and tells us what they need and we design a website around those needs. Type B is the client who sketches out the website and then tells us how to design the website and we are told to do it their way. Period. This article is for the Type B client. (and yes, I know, I have the characteristics of Type A and Type B personalities backwards here.) If you decide to do the website yourself, or have someone design the website but want something very specific (i.e. tell them how to do their job) here are a few things to remember. Research. Be sure to research other websites, especially those that are in your fields. For example, if you are a restaurant, take a look at other restaurant websites. Not just ones in your city, but across the country. Look for things that are similar, things that are done well, colors that are used (on a side note, colors should not clash with your logo), and any particular calls to action. Make a list of everything you love about a website and everything you don’t like. And use this as your starting point.  Take special note of any new trends you start seeing. Fonts. When possible, use fonts instead of graphics. If you look on...
IMPORTANCE OF ADDING SOUND EFFECTS TO YOUR VIDEO

IMPORTANCE OF ADDING SOUND EFFECTS TO YOUR VIDEO

I’m always surprised to see professionally produced videos which lack some of the basics – off camera audio, steady camera and good lighting, just to name a few.  One of the things that is often overlooked is the importance of adding additional sound effects – Foley.  Foley can be the difference between a believable scene and one that leaves the viewer with the feeling that something was missing.  The next time you see a movie with a couple talking in a coffee shop listen to the background audio.  If it’s done well, you’ll hear things like cars from the street, a distant bell of the door opening, dishes clinking, a cash register, the murmur of people speaking, footsteps as someone walks by, a laugh … the possibilities are endless.  While this may sound like a lot, adding these effects gives realism to a scene.  Most likely the scene was shot with all the background actors miming conversation, but actually being silent.  The only folks doing any talking are the actors the camera is focused on. It’s not just movie scenes that need sound effects.  Even in commercials and industrial videos sound effects can be crucial.  And often it’s the little things the viewer doesn’t notice (and a good sound effect is something you don’t notice, but enhances it anyway … like the description above with something as subtle as dishes clanking).  Like when a graphic zips across the screen and there’s a slight swoosh that follows it; or as letters are being etched into the side of a brick building, hearing the destruction of the brick as the letters materialize. In...
LIGON MEDIA GETS FACELIFT … NEW NAME “JOAN RIVERS CREATIVE” (not really)

LIGON MEDIA GETS FACELIFT … NEW NAME “JOAN RIVERS CREATIVE” (not really)

My summer vacation is over.  I didn’t go to the beach, or the mountains.  Didn’t see the family.  No movies, plays or concerts. Nope.  I sat at my desk, in my well-worn chair in beautiful Sacramento, and built a new website for Ligon Media.  That’s what happens when you own the company.  You work. Our site has been completely redesigned, using some of the latest enhancements.  This may mean that older computers can’t view it, and that’s a shame, but as technology moves forward you have to make a decision of where you want to be.  Building something that is dated so everyone can view, or use some of the latest technology and design techniques, but in doing so running the risk of limiting your audience. It’s always a dilemma we deal with with our clients.  What to advise? Here’s the catch, every situation is different.  A few years back I had a client who couldn’t view the DVDs we burned.  Can’t we burn them differently?  Well, no. Their DVD player was old, so the answer was to buy a newer DVD player.  Old stuff doesn’t always work with new technology.  But on the other hand, you need to understand where your target audience is in the marketplace.  If the vast majority of your customers are seniors, then Twitter, Facebook and text messaging campaigns are probably not the ideal way to reach your customers. Traditional communications are. So when I decided (I’m the owner, I get to make decisions) to design the new website for Ligon Media, I looked around at what I liked, what I wanted, and ultimately,...
OUTDOOR PHOTOGRAPHY – NOT JUST ABOUT SUNSETS

OUTDOOR PHOTOGRAPHY – NOT JUST ABOUT SUNSETS

Every now and again, I like to get out of the office or the studio and frolic in the beautiful Sacramento sunshine. Usually I bring a camera along (and a model or client) for some beautiful photography. I don’t always trek to a beach or a park; I don’t always wait for the perfect golden sunset; nor do I always look for the perfect panoramic view. You don’t need a perfect location to get a great shot. Remember, the audience only sees what the camera sees, so it doesn’t matter if there is garbage two inches to the left of where the camera is pointing—no one will ever know. (In other words, not all locations have to be glamorous for a great photograph.) I’ve had fun doing outdoor photography in a wide range of places, such as the upper fork of the American River, a curb in front of a school, a fence in an alley and sitting on the railing of a balcony. Below are some examples of my outdoor photos.       Contact Us If you like, share. If you don’t like, don’t share. And if you’re indifferent, then share or don’t share,...
FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY IS DELICIOUS WORK

FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY IS DELICIOUS WORK

Doing creative stuff for a living is usually pretty fulfilling. Especially when taking pictures of food (and of course, the sampling afterwards). At a recent event catered by Crisp Catering, we helped ourselves to few food samples for the sake of photos. Since we weren’t allowed on the floor of the event (since the group throwing the party didn’t invite us to take pictures) we took the plates up to Crisp Catering’s kitchen and snapped away. All in all, we were pretty pleased with the results. Check out the yummy dishes we shot and be sure to visit our gallery for more photo samples.  And of course, if you have a restaurant in need of public relations or advertising, be sure to contact...
WE’RE 13 YEARS OLD – ENTERING OUR  “TEEN YEARS."

WE’RE 13 YEARS OLD – ENTERING OUR “TEEN YEARS."

Break out the Clearasil, Ligon Media just turned 13. Sure, we’ve changed our name a few times (“creative d ADVERTISING” and “David Ligon Advertising & Public Relations”), but we’ve remained essentially the same agency dedicated to providing the kinds of creative our clients need to get their message out.  Our services run the gamut from public relations to advertising, utilizing every means at our disposal. We’ve had a lot of success and raised a few eyebrows along the way. Never afraid to be creative, we compared a pastry chef to a governor-elect; made brides blush; boogied to beat breast cancer; booked tv interviews and chef cooking segments (hundreds of times); bragged about our dads to promote giving to charity; partied in foam; prepared people for storms; shot photographs of pretty people; proved it didn’t matter if you were an entertainment / restaurant complex in downtown Sacramento or a hotel restaurant in Rancho Cordova – good is good; supported high school athletics and Little League and the arts; promoted the Sacramento region for business and industry; and so much more. We covered a lot of ground in our first 13 years and we did it all while providing value to our clients … proving you don’t need to spend exorbitant amounts to identify yourself. You just need to hire the right...